Hyderabad: iBomma piracy website operator Immadhi Ravi held; bank accounts with ₹3 Cr frozen

Hyderabad: Cyberabad police have arrested Immadhi Ravi, a key operator of the notorious iBomma piracy website ring.

This is seen as a breakthrough against digital and movie piracy.

He was taken into custody at Kukatpally soon after arriving in Hyderabad from France on Friday. Investigators revealed that he had been running the platform remotely from the Caribbean Islands.

Operated iBomma from Abroad

Police officials said Ravi oversaw the upload and distribution of pirated Telugu films and OTT content through the iBomma website.

He is believed to have coordinated with an overseas technical team to maintain site operations and ensure the regular release of illegal content. The platform has been a persistent source of financial losses for the Telugu film industry.

Bank accounts with ₹3 Cr frozen

Following his arrest, police froze Ravi’s bank accounts containing nearly Rs 3 crore, which authorities suspect are proceeds from large-scale piracy activities.

Previous complaints triggered probe

The Telugu Film Anti-Piracy Team and several film producers had earlier lodged complaints against the widespread circulation of newly released movies on iBomma.

These reports prompted intensified surveillance and investigation, eventually leading police to track Ravi’s international movements and apprehend him upon arrival.

Hunt on for wider network

Officials said further investigation is underway to identify other members of the network involved in running the piracy platform. More arrests are likely as digital forensics and financial trails are examined.

Background

In September, Hyderabad Cybercrime police booked as many as 65 mirror websites, including the widely used iBomma and Bappam platforms, for illegally uploading and distributing Telugu films.

The action follows a complaint from the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce (TFCC). The film body said rampant piracy is causing massive losses to the industry.

In a separate meeting with the Telugu film fraternity, the police also detailed the wider network of piracy, explaining that the investigation had identified several notorious piracy portals, including TamilMV, Tamil Blasters, and Movierulz.

Film actors K Chiranjeevi, Venkatesh Daggubati, Akkineni Nagarjuna, and Nani, alongside producers, exhibitors, digital distribution partners, and Telangana Film Development Corporation Chairman Dil Raju, were also part of the meeting.

Police officials also used the meeting to brief representatives of the Telugu film industry on the key findings of their investigation. They explained that cybercriminals were primarily relying on in-theatre recording and digital distribution hacks to leak and circulate pirated content online.

Officials highlighted that the Telugu film industry has suffered heavy financial losses as a result of these activities. According to estimates shared during the session, piracy has cost the industry nearly Rs 2,200 crore over the years.